Appakattts fo



H. W. COOPER Aug. 25, 1931.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING REENFORCED WASHERS FOR COMMUTATOR RINGS Filed July 16, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug.25,1931. HLWCOQP'E'R- APPARATUS FOR MAKING REENFORCED WASHERS FOR COMMUTATOR RI NGS Filed July 16, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 25, 1931. H. w. COOPER APPARATUS FOR MAKING REENFORCED WASHERS FOR 'COMMUTATOR RINGS Filed July 16, 192'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mei ea? g- 25, 1931- H. w. COOPER 1,820,181

APPARATUS FOR MAKING REENFORCED WASHERS FOR COMMUTATOR RINGS Filed July 16, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 25, 1931 unrreo STATES PATENT errms HENRY W. GOOPE R, OF WEST NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 250 NEW ENGLAND MI-CA (30., OF WALTHAM, MAEESAGIIUSETTS, A'GORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS APPARATUS FOR MAKING REENFQRCED 1W ASHERS FOR GOMMUTA'DQR RINGS Application filed July 16, 1927. Serial K052063150.

lhis invention relates to the :art of makcomnnrtator rings, and more particularly to the art of making commutator vrings havreentorced bottoms. The preferred material used is composite sheet mica, i. e. a sheet built up to the required thickness from mica flakes with a suitable binder, such aS shellac.

The main object of the present invention is to provide novel and efiicient apparatus tor uniting two washers 'or disks of composite mica to for-111a unitary article which, in a subsequent operation, is molded to form a commutator ring having a reeni orced bottom. One washer is of less diameter than the other and preferably both are in the form of annuli, the central opening however being smaller than that-of the finished commutator ring.

To the accomplishment of this object, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the

' various features of the present invention relate to contain devices, combinations and arran-gements of parts fully set forth hereinafter, the advantages of which will he readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The various features of the present invention will he best understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1'is a View of the apparatus in front elevation, the bottom portion of the figure representing the right side portion broken away from the left side portion which is the upper portion of the figure;

Fig. 2 is a View in enlarged detail, partly in front elevation and partly in sectional elevati-on, of the left side portion of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a View, in lett side, sectional elevat ion, through the axis of the molding and cooling drum;

Fig. 4 is a View, in front sectional elevation, oi the ejecting mechanism;

Fig. '5 'is a View, in bottom plan, of the parts shown in Fig. 4';

Fig. 6 is a View, in right side, sectional elevation, on the line '66 of Fig. 2

Flg. 7 1s a wow, in *front sectional elevation, showing how the rotating molds and the superimposed disks .on the :convyer engage;

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective View showing the characteristic features of the two disks or washers to be united; and

Fig. 9 is a wiew, in perspective, of the two disks of Fig. '8 formed into a unitary article by the apparatus of the present inyen-tion.

1n accordance with the invention illustrated in the drawings a smalldisk l0 and a larger disk 11 (Fig.- 8) eat composite sheet mica in a dry and hard condition each having a central opening of the same'size,

are superimposed loosely upon an endless carrier 12 (Fig. "1) at a loading station 13.

formed the low-er horizontal run of "the carrier, from n h the disks are carried to an cot-ii g station 14. During their passage to the ejecting station the loosely superimposed chslrs are first heated and the heated disks are then S1. 1 1coted to pressure and molded to insure :t he'ir adher ace to each other during any subsequent operation to be perlEOTIIlGGl thereon. During this molding operation, the central openings the di ks are aligned and {the periorheries of the disks are positioned accurately 1n concentric relationship so that the pain" of united disks when eieoted will be as illustrated in Fig. 9. Alter the disks are united they are -:cooled, ejected from the 'car1 ier '12, and stadked for convenient withdrawal to a machine for molding the united disks HUOYICGIIHIHMJGEWOI rings haying bottmns reentorced by the-smaller disk.

The carrier is a linlr helt, endless convey-er comprising two parallel, spaced chains 1'5 (Fig. '5) the alternate and opposite liu'lrs l6 'OfQ-fidll of which :are provided with shelves 1?. Securedto each of the opposed pair of shelves 1? is a plate 18 comprising a link of a flexible lo'elt 1 9. Centrally of reach (or the platesifil is a centering pin 20 tor locating the disk 11 on the plate 'll8-a n'd also l-or superimposingthe dish l0 centrally upon the disk 11. As 2%) is roun ed andtapered to as ist the opera-' tor in positioning pair of di s lllnnd 1O thereon as it passes through the loading sta tion. The base of the pin adjacent the iupper surlace o f the plate 3 8 has a diameter subwn particularly in F the :pin 1 stantially the same as that of the openings through the disks.

In order to actuate the carrier 12, to transfer the disks loosely superimposed upon the plates 18 from the loading station 13 to the ejecting station 14, and to return the empty plates to the loading station, the apparatus is provided with a pair of sprocket wheels 21 (Figs. 1. 2 and 3) arranged to engage and actuate the two chains 15 of the link belt carrier or conveyer 12. The inner faces of the sprockets 21 are secured to the two outer faces of a drum 22 which is keyed to a shaft 23 journaled at its opposite ends in bearings 24L and 25 secured respectively to vertical beams 28 and 27 bolted to the frame 28. The hubs 29 of the sprockets 21 are also keyed to the shaft 23. V

Secured to the shaft 23 is a gear 30 which meshes with a pinion 31 (Fig. 1) carried by a shaft 32 journaled in brackets supported b a shelf 33 secured to the vertical beams 26 ant 27. The shaft 32 carries a gear which meshes with a pinion 35-secured to the armature sh aft 36 of an electric motor 37 also supported on the shelf 33.

The chains 15 at the upper horizontal run of the link belt carrier 12 are supported upon horizontal beams 38 and 39 (Fig. 3) secured to the vertical beams 26 and 27 and two pairs of vertical beams 40 and ll only one of each of which is shown in Fig. 1) bolted at their bases to the frame 28. The vertical beams 41 support two horizontal rods 4-2 and i3 upon which are mounted suitable guiding sprockets 4A- and for the chains 15.

In order to render the superimposed disks 10 and 11 tacky after they leave the loading station 13 to cause them to adhere when pressed together, the lower run of the link belt conveyer 12 is caused to pass through tunnel 16 (Figs. 1 and 2) carried by the frame 28. This tunnel has upper and lower faces 47 and 18 arranged parallel and adjacent to the top and bottom faces of the disk supporting plates 18 during their passage therebetween. The tunnel faces 17 and 1-8 carry electric heating elements 49.

The superimposed disks are subjected to 3ressure in order to unite the sticky disks and also to mold them into a unitary article and define the relative position of their peripheral edges. Accordingly the. drum 22 carries a peripheral series of molds 5G 2 and herein shownas twenty-four in number.

As shown best in Fig. 7 each mold comprises a cylindrical head 51 and a cylindrical shank 52 of reduced diameter. The shank 52 is received within a recess 53 (Fig. formed in the circumferential surface of the drum 22 and each head 51 engages a flattened portion 54 (Fig. 2) on said surface of the drum. The mold is hollow to permit it to fit over the pin 20 (Fig. 7). Each mold is removably mounted within each of the recesses 53 to permit the use of molds of different sizes as may be required. To this end the drum 22 carries twenty-four screws 55 arranged to engage the mold shanks 52. The head of each of the screws is arranged in an opening 56 (Fig. 3), formed through one of the sprockets 21, to facilitate its manipulation without dismantling the apparatus.

The outer or exposed face of each mold 50 is provided with a pair of concentric recesses 57 and 58 (Fig. 7) into which the successive united disks 10 and 11 are forced as the car-.

rier advances them from the heater 16. To this end the frame 28 is recessed to receive a block 59 (Figs. 2 and 3) having a central, vertical slot therein so that the block 59 may slide and tip. on a rod 60 carried by the frame 28. The block 59 carries threerollers 61 which are held against the bottom of the plates 18 as they pass thereover by a pair of coiled springs 62 interposed between the bottom-of the recess in the frame 28 and the block 59.

As the recesses 57 and 58 are formed in the mold in a concentric manner the disks 10 and 11 will be molded sothat their peripheries are concentric. Furthermore since the central opening in the mold has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the pin 20 at the base thereof the walls of the central;

openings will be molded down into the angle between thepin 20 and the plate 18 thus insuring an accurate alignment of the two central openings in the disks.

As shown in Fig. 2 the superimposed disks 10 and 11 are pressed into the molds 50 by the rollers 61 as each of the plates 18 is interposed by the advance of the carrier between the rollers and the adjacent mold 5O.v In order to maintain the disks within the imold,

recesses 57 and58, as the plate 18 and the ad acent mold travel together during the transfer of the disks toward the ejecting "station. the rodsl2 (Fig. 1) loosely carry a pair of bell crank levers only one of which,

63, is shown in Fig. 1. The vertical arm of the bell crank lever 63 carries an idle sprocket G l engaged with the chain 15. The horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever 63carries a weight 65 which may be secured in various positions on the horizontal arm by a set screw 65 in order to vary the tension under which the sprocket 6 1 engage's'the chain 15. The idle sprocket 6 1 thus acts as a chain tightener to maintain the disks pressed within the recesses 57 and 58 in the molds 50.

In order to cool the disks and thus fix them in the relative position to which they have been brought under the influence of heat and pressure one side face of the drum 22 is provided with a circumferential chamber 66 .(Figs. 2 and 3) normally closed by a cover plate 67 to permit the circulation of cold water through the drum adjacent the molds 50. i To this end the shaft 23 is provided with two hollow portions '68 and 69 (Fig. 3) which are connected to the chamber 66 by passages 70 and 71, respectively. The opposite ends of the shaft 23 are packed to receive water pipe connections 72 and 73 by which cold water is introduced into the hollow portion 68 of the shaft and conducted out of its hollow portion 69 after the water has circulated through the chamber 66.

When the disks are superimposed upon the lower run of the carrier 12 the smaller disk 10 is uppermost. WVhen the disks reach the upper run of the carrier the united disks are below the belt with the larger disk 11 uppermost. In order to prevent the disks from dropping oif the pins 20, while the plates 18 are reversed when on the upper run of the carrier 12, the horizontal beams 38 and 39 each support a bent wire guard 7 i (Fig. 5). The guards 7 4c extend along the opposite sides of the pins 20 within the edges of the smaller disks 10. The secured ends of these guards are coiled (Figs. 1 and l) to maintain them yieldingly against the disks. in order to e ect the successive pairs of ,united disks 10 and 11 from the apparatus the chain supporting portions of the horizontal belt-supporting beams 38 and 89 are. removed throughout the length of the eject ing station 14 thus permitting the plates 18 :of the link belt to be successively depressed into engagement with a pair of prying prongs 75 (Figs. '1 and 5) one of which is secured to-the beam 38 and the other of which is secured to the beam 39.

The disks are lowered by pressure on the plates 18 to a level that will enable the pair.. ofprying prongs to engage between-the plate 18 and the disk 11 and pry the united pair of disks therefrom. This pressure is periodically supplied by a roller 7 6 journaled between two levers 77 and 78 (Figs. 4 and 6) having hubs 7 9 and 80 pivoted on .a rod 81 secured to the horizontal beams 38 39. The hub 80 is provided with a tail 82 which is acted upon,-to maintain the roller 76 normally in the position of Fig. 4:, by a coiled spring 83 interposed between the tail 82 and an overhanging bracket 8i secured to the horizontal beam 38.

In order to move the roller 76 downward into engagement with the back of each plate 18 as it reaches the ejecting station and depress the front of said plate sufiiciently to engage the prying prongs 75, the levers 77 and 78 carry a roller 85 (Figs. 4 and 6) engaged with a tappet cam 86. The cam 86 is mounted on a shaft 87 journaled on the horizontal beams 38 and 89. One end of the shaft 87 carries a sprocket 88 which is driven by' a chain 88 passing over the sprocket 88 and a second sprocket (not shown) secured to the shaft 32 (see Fig. 1).

The disks pried off the plates 18 by the prying prongs .75 fall onto a spindle 89 having a cylindrical base 90 and a shank 91. The base 90 and the shank 91 are removably positioned on and in, respectively, a block 92 pivoted on a bracket 93 supported. in some suitable manner from the frame 28. The

of Fig. 1 by a spring 9% coiled about a rod 95, carried by the bracket '93- and passed loosely through the block 92, and interposed between the block 92 and an adjusting nut on the free end of the rod 95. This construction permits the spindle 89 to yield in the event the upper end of the spindle is engagedaccidently by any part of the traveling carrier.

The provision of a spindle upon which the several united pairs of disks are stacked with each larger disk 11 uppermost is exceedingly convenient as the spindle with the 355 pieces inthe magazine will then have thej smaller disk 10 uppermost as is requisite for presentation to the molding dies of the press. 7

The die press may be pro-.

spindle 89 is normally held in the position The carrier 12 travels at the rate of one link a second and the length of the heater.-

and the diameter of the drumare such that each pair of disks is heated fora period of twelve seconds and is then cooled for another period of twelve'seconds during its passage from the loading station to the ejecting'sta- 5.

tion. The duration ofthe heating period is sui'licient to condition the disks for the molding operation. The duration of the coollng period issullicient to dry and harden the done its work permitting the next link to be advanced for the stripping operation. The

surface of each tappet intermediate the drops is substantially concentric with the shaft 87 so that the prying prongs 7 5 may engage the plate 18 in advance of the disk 11 and scrape over the surface of the plate into prying engagement with the disk 11. As shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 4 the shanks of the prying prongs adjacent the pointed ends thereofare angularly disposed relative to the disk Supporting surface of the plates 18 so that after the pointed ends of the prongs have entered behind andloosened the united pair of disks from the place 18 the continued advance of the carrier causes the angularly disposed shanks to push the loosened pair of disks off of the pin 20 and drop them successively on the storage spindle 89.

It-will be clear to those skilled in this class of apparatus and with the general objects of the present invention in View, that changes may bemade in the details of structure, the described and illustrated embodiment of the invention being intended as an exploitation of its underlying essentials, .the features whereof are definitely stated in their true scope of the claims herewith.

That which' is claimed as new, is

1. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a travelling means for supporting two loosely superimposed disks of composite mica, means for heating the disks to render them tacky, and means for subjecting the tacky disks to pressure while moving withsaid support to form a unitary laminated disk. V

2. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a travellingmeans for supporting two loosely superim osed disks of composite mica, and means operating succes-.

sively on the moving disks for heating said disks and pressing them together while held flat and for cooling the united disks.

3. An apparatus of the-class described having, in combination, means for supporting two loosely superimposed disks of composite mica, means for uniting said disks, means for ejecting the united disks, and means for stacking the ejected disks.

4. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, means including a positioning pin for receiving two loosely super imposed disks of composite mica having central openings and supporting them in concentric relation, means for uniting said disks, and means for stripping the united disks from the pin.

5. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, means for supporting two loosely superimposed disks of composite mica having central openings including a positioning pin embraced by said openings, means for heating, pressing together and thereafter cooling the two disks while held by said pin, and means for stripping the united disks from the pin.

6. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, means for supporting two loosely superimposed mica disks of different diameters, means for heating the disks, a mold for receiving the heated disks with their peripheries concentric, and means for pressing the disks into said mold while held flat by said supporting means.

7 An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, means for supporting two loosely superimposed mica disks of different diameters, means for heating the disks, means for uniting the heated disks with their peripheries concentric toform a unitary article, and means for cooling the united disks.

8. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, means for supporting two loosely superimposed mica disks of dif-' ferent diameters, means for heating the disks, means for molding the heated disks while fiat to unite them with their peripheries concentric, and automatic mechanism for ejecting the united disks from the apparatus.

9. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, means for supporting two loosely superimposed mica disks of different diameters with their peripheries concentric and with the smaller disk uppermost; means for heating and uniting the disks, means for cooling the united disks, and automatic mechanism for ejecting the united disks from the apparatus and stacking them with the larger disk uppermost. 1

10. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, means for supporting two loosely superimposed mica disks of different diameters and having central openings of the same size comprising a fiat plate upon which the larger disks rest and a pin projecting from the disk-supporting surface of the plate through the centralopenings in the two disks and having a diameter substantially commensurate with the diameter of said central openings, a mold having a central opening substantially commensurate with the diameter of said pin and provided with two concentric recesses of the same'diameters-v-as the two superimposed disks,-,.

means for heating the disks, and means for pressing the disks and the pin into the recesses and the central opening in the mold, respectively.

.11. An apparatus of the class described, having, in combination, a carrier adapted to receive successive pairs of composite mica disks, each disk of a pair having a different diameter, in superimposed position at a loading station, an ejecting station at which the;

material is removed from the carrier, means for continuously moving the carrier to transfer the material in series from the loading station to the ejecting station, and means for renderingthe material tacky after it leaves the loading station.

12. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a carrier adapted to receive successive pairs of composite mica disks, each disk of a pair having a different diameter, in superposed position at a loading station, an ejecting station at which the material is removed from the carrier, means for continuously moving the carrier to transfer the'm'aterial in series from the loading station to the ejecting station, and means intermediate the loading and ejecting stations for uniting the pairs of disks.

13. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a carrier adapted to receive successive pairs of composite mica disks, each disk of a pair having a different diameter, in superposed position at a loading station, an ejecting station at which the material is removed from the carrier, means for continuously moving the carrier to transfer the material in series from the loading station to the ejecting station, and means acting simultaneously on a plurality of said pairs, for sticking the disks of each pair together and for cooling the united disks, located iiitermediate the loading and ejecting stat-ions.

14. Apparatus for producing laminated mica washers having, in combination, a car-- rier adapted to receive material at a loading station, means for removing the material from the carrier at an ejecting station, means for moving the carrier to transfer the material from the loading station to the ejecting station, and means interposed between said stations for successively heating and cooling the material being advanced by the carrier.

15. Apparatus for producing laminated mica washers having, in combination, a carrier adapted to receive material at a loading station, means for removing the material from the carrier at an ejecting station, means for moving the carrier to transfer the material from the loading station to the ejecting station, and means interposed between said stations for heating the material, for subjecting the heated material to pressure and for cooling the heated and pressedmaterial.

16. Apparatus for producing laminated mica washers having, in combination, a carrier adapted to receive material at a loading station, means for removing the material from the carrier at an ejecting station, means for moving the carrier to transfer the material from the loading station to the ejecting station, a movable mold interposed between said stations, means in advance of the mold for heating the material, and means for introducing the heated material into the mold, said mold being moved at the same rate of speed as the carrier.

17. Apparatus for producing laminated mica washers having, in combination, a carrier adapted to receive material at a loading station, means for removing the material from the carrier at an ejecting station, means for moving the carrier to transfer the material from the loading station to the ejecting station, a movable mold interposed between said stations moved at the same rate of speed as the carrier, means interposed between the mold and the loading station for heating the material, mechanism for pressing the heated material into the mold, and means for cooling the mold.

An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a carrier for conducting mica disks in successionto an ejecting station", means for engaging said carrier and for prying a disk from the carrier as each disk reaches the ejecting station, and mechanism for relatively moving said means and said carrier vertically to engage and. disengage said means and carrier.

An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, an ejecting station, a carrier for conducting in succession united pairs of mica disks to the ejecting station, means for engaging said carrier and for prying a pair of mica disks from the carrier as each pair of disks reach the ejecting station, and mechanism for relatively moving said means and said carrier vertically to engage anddisengage said means and carrier compr sing a cam, a follower, and aspring for holding said follower and cam in engagement, said cam having an abrupt drop to relatively actuate the cam and follower against the tension of the spring, a drop to permit a quick relative return movement to the cam and follower under the influence of said spring, and a uniform surface intermediatethe drops to hold the carrier and sa d prying means in engagement for an interval.

2Q. An apparatus of theclass described having, in combination, means for supportmica whi'le maintained in a flat condition and means acting successively on a plurality of said pair's simultaneously for heating, uniting and cooling said disks. I i

21. An apparatus of the class described disk, and means operating in timed relation to the advance of the disks for successively ejecting the laminated disks from the apparatus. I

22. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, an endless link-belt carrier each link having an inwardly facing pin to enter the central perforation of a mica washer, means for supporting and driving said carrier to provide two horizontal reaches one above the other, the link pins of said lower reach then pointing upward to receive the washers and position them flatwise on the links, means for treating the washers during the advance of the carrier, means for successively prying the treated washers from the links, and from the pins then pointing downward, at an ejecting station through which the upper reach of the carrier passes, and a spindle below the ejecting station onto which ing and continuously advancing an endless series of su'p'erimposeddi'sks of composite the washers are threaded as they are successively ejected. v

23. An apparatus ofthe class described having, in combination, an endless, link-belt, driven carrier having a reach moving in a horizontal plane and each link having a washer receiving pin that points downward when a link is on said reach, a spindle below said reach, and means for ejecting the washers from the pins as each pin reaches a position above the spindle whereby to stack the washers on the spindle.

24. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, endless conveying means on which mica Washers are assembled in a succession of superposed pairs, means for supporting and advancing said conveying means, means operating during the advance of the conveying means for causing the washers of each pair to become united, a spindle for receiving the united pairs of washers, and means for successively ejecting said united pairs in stacked relation on said spindle.

25. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, endless conveying means having provision for receiving and maintaining a plurality of pairs of mica Washers in spaced relation each consisting of two Washers of unequal diameters in superposed concentric relation, an ejecting station through which said pairs of washers are advanced, a spindle adjacent said ejecting station, means for cementing together the two Washers of a pair before reaching said ejecting station, and means at the ejecting station for ejecting said cemented pairs in stacked relation on said spindleQ HENRY W. COOPER. 

